Men's Basketball Fall in Overtime to Johnson

ATHENS, Tenn.- The men's basketball team played their second straight overtime game on Wednesday. This time though, the team was unsucessful in coming out as the victors, falling in their home opener 91-87 to the Johnson University Royals in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) game.

TWU started strong, opening the game with an early 9-2 run fueled by Amauri Young's layups, Armando Cuardado's jump shots, and Peyton West's three-point basket, forcing a quick Johnson timeout. Ty Hurst's defense, including a timely block, kept Johnson from finding a rhythm early on. By halftime buzzer, TWU held a narrow 38-33 lead, with Young and Cuardado dominating the offensive boards and scoring inside.

Johnson rallied in the second half, but TWU answered every run with clutch plays. Young's continued scoring, including a critical free throw, and Hurst's ability to knock down jump shots kept TWU in the game. Jay Reed provided a spark with aggressive drives to the basket, while Cuardado's interior presence helped the Bulldogs maintain control. The lead changed hands multiple times as both teams battled fiercely, culminating in a dramatic 80-80 tie at the end of regulation.

Overtime saw TWU fight valiantly as Cuardado and Young combined for critical points. A clutch jump shot by Cuardado tied the game at 82, but Johnson responded with timely baskets. Hurst nailed a three-pointer to keep the Bulldogs within striking distance, but a late three-pointer by Johnson and free throws sealed the win for the visitors.

Hurst had a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds while Young had 17 points and Cuardado had a career-high 12 points.

Up next for Tennessee Wesleyan (2-3, 1-2 AAC) is a home contest against Montreat College on Saturday. The conference game is set to begin at 4:00 p.m.